Through Darkness Shines Love
by pikagurl23
Summary: Sequel to Lost Love. Misty finds life difficult without Ash, but strives to continue her life of secrecy. However, a young man comes into the picture that makes Misty wonder about Ash and the accident. Who is this young man & can she fend off evil alone?
1. Remembrance of the Past

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon!

A/N: I got this chapter up sooner than expected…yay for me! Anyway, please read and review and tell me what you think. Thanks!

Through Darkness Shines Love

Chapter 1-Remembrance of the Past

Breathing heavily, engulfed in the darkness, a lone figure stood, unaware of her surroundings. She searched for the light to the seemingly endless darkness, but found none and could only hope that someone would save her. Scared and trembling, she realized that she had lost much of her bravery and spunk from her younger years as a pokemon trainer and traveler.

Suddenly, a bright light engulfed the area, sending her back to a time she wished she could forget. That hurtful day 7 years ago that would change her life and shape who she was forever. It was all coming back to her in one fell swoop before she had time to react. It was almost as if she were reliving the moment again as she covered her ears from hearing the screams of her one true love being crushed to death. It was too much for her to bare, knowing that she could have prevented his death…knowing that _they_ had been behind it all from the start. Crying tears of anguish, she lifted her head up and shouted into the abyss.

"Stop it! Please…I can't take this anymore…please stop…" she pleaded, as she dropped to her knees, weakened by the effects of her past. She could hear a faint laugh in the distance from two recognizable people…the same people that had been the cause of his death so many years ago. Angered by the enjoyment they found in her anguish, she pounded her fists into the floor, wanting nothing more than this nightmare to end. Her anger, however, quickly subsided, as she heard a voice, with whom she recognized all too well, speaking to her.

"Lost without him, are you?" the voice chided, obviously taking pleasure in seeing her suffer, "You know, this was your fault from the start my dear…you encouraged him to go to that tournament, even knowing that we were coming to power and growing stronger by the day…and yet, you still encouraged him. What a pity."

"This was not my fault!" she yelled weakly, not believing her own words, "There was nothing I could do."

"Nothing you could do? Ha, what a joke!" a second female voice teased, "Misty, the cards were in your hands from the start, you just needed to play the right hand and, fortunately for us, you flopped."

'But his body was never found,' she thought hopefully, 'There's still a chance that he may be alive.'

Reading her thoughts and smirking out of gratification, the female voice spoke once more, "You believe there is actually a chance of him surviving an ordeal like that? Face it, you've lost all hope of him surviving after seven years of silence. Isn't that the reason why you faked your own death, to start a new life, away from your past?"

Misty, not knowing what else to say, only nodded dejectedly. Marissa was right…she had wanted so badly to leave behind the life she once knew and start over, even going as far as faking her own death and changing her last name to throw off the media. There had even been a broadcast televised throughout the whole region claiming that the youngest of the Cerulean sisters had claimed her own life due to a broken heart. Misty and her sisters, however, knew the truth. Although the stunt had seemed, back then, insane and completely uncalled for, Misty had known she had made the right decision by, in a manner of speaking, disappearing. She had not even opted to tell Brock, her long time best friend, that she was about to disappear into society. Instead, her sisters only reported to her that Brock was broken hearted at the fake funeral to hear that he had lost another friend. Misty had felt remorse, but knew that it had been the right thing to do.

Speaking for the first time in what seemed like hours, Aki spoke up, waking Misty out of her daze. "We will return for the final battle…where we will claim your life and your powers as well."

His voice seemed to fade into nothingness as she felt her whole body being sucked through what seemed like a vortex…

Suddenly, jolting out of bed, Misty caught her breath thankful that she was awake and back in the confines of her room. Thinking about her nightmare, tears welled up in her once vibrant eyes as she spoke the name that she had let down.

"Ash…"

A/N: Well there's chapter 1! Hope you all liked it and thanks for the reviews from "Lost Love." Please review and AAML forever!


	2. My Immortal

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon!

A/N: Here's chapter 2! Kinda got the title from that song from Evanescence (awesome song by the way). Hope you all like and please review. Thanks!

Chapter 2- My Immortal

The sun shone brightly through the window of the spacious two bedroom apartment. People outside were caught up in the normal hustle and bustle of life, while college students loitered about, glad that midterms were over and that spring break had begun. The flow of life in the small seaside town of Calysto Bay was busy, but at the same time, helped to relax even the busiest of people.

Meanwhile, Alex Lee was rummaging through her roommate's drawers piling clothes in a small stack on her nearby bed.

"Hey Mist, where's your red top? I think I'm going to wear it to that party tomorrow night," yelled Alex as she continued going through her friend's drawers.

"Top left corner of the drawer on the left," came a voice from the other room.

'Oops…' laughed Alex as she realized her mistake. She put away the stacks of clothing into its' respective drawer and proceeded to search the correct drawer for her friend's top.

Humming to herself, she thought about how she was going to do her make-up and hair for the party, knowing that Jason was going to be there. She had liked him since she started college at Pokemon Tech University, but was under no illusions when it came to his feelings. Alex was well aware that Jason had tried to pursue Misty since they had met, but Misty found no interest in him other than a good friend.

'Come to think of it, Misty doesn't really seem to be all that interested in any of the guys here. I wonder why,' Alex thought to herself as she continued to rummage through the drawer.

Relieved that Misty had not had any feelings towards Jason gave Alex the hope that she actually stood a chance with him. Alex had kept her feelings under wraps, but, unbeknownst to her, Misty was not thick and knew of her friend's crush.

Finding the top successfully, Alex smiled to herself, glad that her and Misty were the same size. She had never had a sister, only a younger brother, and considered Misty the sister she never had.

Pulling the top from the drawer, she heard a light clank as two metal objects appeared out from underneath the top. Curiosity eating away at her, she picked up the objects and noticed that one of them was a framed photo. She examined it for a moment before smiling to herself.

'Wow…this is Misty? She looks so different,' thought Alex, referring to Misty's change of hair color. Back then, it had been shorter and a vibrant orange in color. Now, it was significantly longer and a beautiful shade of auburn, to which Alex was very jealous. She had always believed that Misty was a natural beauty and that she needed no amounts of make-up to improve upon her looks. It was a surprise that she didn't have a boyfriend or significant other by now.

"Did you find my top?" asked Misty as she walked into the room. She stopped short when she saw what Alex was holding in her hands.

Standing, ashamed that she had invaded her friend's privacy, Alex quickly racked her brain for an excuse, but found none.

"Oh my god Misty, I'm so sorry. I had no right to look through your stuff. I'm so stupid, oh my gosh," she ranted, unsure of how Misty would react.

"Alex, Alex, it's okay," Misty soothed softly, "Don't worry about it."

Misty saw the red top laying on the bed and smiled at her friend.

"I see you found my top," she laughed.

"Uh…yeah," was all that Alex could muster after being caught red-handed. She handed the photo to Misty and smiled sheepishly, "Is this you?"

Misty took the photo from her friend and nodded, a sad smile dominating her delicate face.

"This is me seven years ago," Misty sighed.

"I almost didn't recognize you. Your hair is a different color than it is now," commented Alex.

"Yeah, I dyed it a couple of weeks after this was taken," she explained moving towards Alex and showing her the photo.

Alex nodded in understanding and, remembering that she had the other metal object in her hand, gave it to Misty. She accepted it with a sad sigh and examined the cursive on the bracelet, remembering the day she had given it to him…the last time she had ever held him in her arms before….

A silent tear found its way down Misty's face as she turned to wipe it away.

"I gave this to him before he left," she said simply, showing the gift to a confused Alex.

"Him?" asked Alex, cocking her head to one side, obviously lost in confusion.

Misty simply nodded caressing the bracelet that had once been around his wrist, but, for some unknown reason, had been found inside his jacket the night of the rockslide. Misty never did figure out that mystery, but, all the same, was just happy to have the object back in her possession. She had given him the bracelet the same day he had given her the locket that she wore everyday and cherished more than life itself. She gave her treasure a light squeeze as if squeezing it would bring Ash back to her. She tried desperately to remember his touch against her skin and how he always made her feel safe and protected. His arms had been so strong then, but now, Misty knew, she would never be able to run into his arms again and feel his strong embrace encircle her small frame.

Sighing subconsciously, Misty handed the framed photo back to Alex for her to examine once more. The picture had been simple; Misty was apparently standing in front of what seemed to be someone's house with her arms lovingly around the man next to her. Alex stared at the young man who had deep, chocolate brown eyes and a smile that seemed to radiate his very being. They had obviously been in love at one point or another, but what had happened to make Misty tear up?

Alex placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, not wanting to ask the next question that was eating at her brain.

"What happened between you two?" Alex asked quietly, expecting something along the lines of a breakup or a heated argument, but found much more than she bargained for.

Misty simply stared at the photo, unable to tear her eyes away from his. Those eyes had once made her melt on the spot, causing her heart to do flip-flops, but now they were a dreadful reminder of what had happened all those years ago to the boy she had always loved and could never forget.

"The rockslide…" was all Misty uttered before more tears had started to roll down her once vibrant face.

A small gasp escaped Alex's lips as she remembered the many lives that had been lost in the infamous rockslide so many years ago. It had been all over the news for weeks, but Alex knew first hand of the destruction it had caused her on a personal level. Her kid brother had been caught in the rockslide and had barely made it out with his life, thanks to the help of one good samaritan. Alex, however, was never able to thank the man that had saved her brother's life for he had perished in the depths of the rockslide to save the life of another; and for that, she would be eternally grateful to him. She also had never told anyone, even Misty, about the ordeal and kept it to herself, knowing that she should keep the privacy of her family safe.

"Come on Mist…there was nothing you could do for him," soothed Alex, trying to understand the severity of Misty's ordeal.

Misty simply shook her head in response, knowing all too well that Ash's untimely death could have been prevented. Misty had been beating herself up for Ash's death for far too long and she refused to let it overtake her life. She knew that if Ash were still alive, he would not want her to blame herself, instead, move on and continue to love those around her.

Alex, meanwhile, stole another glance at the photo that had once depicted Misty's youth and vivacity. Sighing, she noticed the ring on the young man's finger and brought the photo closer to her face for examination. Though she could not see it clearly, she could tell that there was an inscription around the band. The only thing that she could make out was a small heart engraved on the side along with some Japanese symbol that she couldn't quite depict.

"A gift from you I'm guessing?" asked Alex, pointing to the ring around Ash's finger.

"Yeah, I gave that to him for his birthday one year," she sniffled, not wanting to have a break down like the previous night.

Alex, realizing that her friend had been put through enough, decided to cease the questions and remain silent. Although one last question was still bothering her she decided that it was not worth seeing her friend in such a state. Gathering her composure she stood up, preparing to leave her friend with some alone time, until Misty held her back. Alex, confused, knelt down beside her friend and gave her a questioning look. Misty turned the frame around to reveal a small folded up piece of paper that seemed to have better days and removed it from its' place. She handed the letter to Alex to read.

'_Dear Misty,_

_Hey there, sweetie. How are you doing? By the time you receive this, I'll probably be back in your arms again, holding you, and declaring bold declarations of love. Anyway, I couldn't sleep much, so I decided to write to you. I know it probably could have waited until I got home, but I just needed to tell you how much you mean to me. Misty, you are my everything, I'm nothing without you by my side. I feel like I need you in order to continue living my life like I want it. Our future means everything to me and I hope you feel the same. Love makes you do strange things sometimes, but I've never regretted any of it. Women can make even the strongest of men kneel down on one knee…all this because of love. I guess what I'm trying to say is that…guys like me find it hard to take that extra step forward, no matter how hard they want to, they find they can't. We're afraid of rejection because it could mean eternal heartbreak forever. Listen to me ramble on and on about nothing. Well, I guess I'll wrap this up. Remember that I will always be with you, even if I'm not physically there. I will never leave you, I promise. I love you with all my heart. _

_Love, Ash'_

Upon finishing the letter, Alex brought a hand to her mouth. Ash…where had she heard that name before? In any case, she would figure that out later. What mattered were the hints in the letter that this young man was trying to express to Misty. Alex sighed in understanding, knowing what the hints to the letter would have led to.

'He was thinking of proposing to her,' she thought, unaware if Misty knew this vital piece of information.

"Al…" whispered Misty, sensing her friend's discomfort, "I would have said yes too."

Knowing what she meant, Alex encircled her friend in a tight embrace allowing Misty to cry buckets of tears into her friend's shoulder.

"I-I would have said yes to him," she sobbed, "I…we…I loved him so much…"

"Shh…it's okay Mist, let it all out," soothed Alex, rubbing her friend's back in a vain attempt to calm her.

"I willed myself all these years to be strong…for him…because of my love for him, but I'm not sure I remember how to be the person I once was when I was with him," she whispered tearfully, "I miss being that person…and I miss Ash."

"Mist, from the sounds of this guy, it seemed like he loved you with all his heart, but you can't let his death lead you astray for the rest of your life. Would he have wanted that?" Alex asked, not wanting to bring up the part about the proposal.

"No, he wouldn't," Misty smiled, remembering what Ash would have done had she subjected herself to a life of depression, "He would have been upset with me and…disappointed that his death caused me so much grief where I couldn't lead my life."

"Yeah…I'm sure you're absolutely right!" Alex prodded, beaming a smile at her, "I'm sure he's smiling at you right now thinking about how much more beautiful you have become."

"Or about how many pokemon I have accumulated since I last saw him," Misty laughed, recalling Ash's fondness of all pokemon.

Alex laughed along with her friend, acknowledging that Misty had just taken the first steps towards recovery. Happy to see her friend act more like herself again, she stood up.

"I'll tell you what we'll do today," smiled Alex, "We're going to go have lunch with the guys and then spend the day at the spa, prepping ourselves for tomorrow's party. I think we both deserve people to be waiting on us hand and foot, what about you?"

Misty laughed, "I think that's a great idea! I need some time to relax and enjoy the spring break. I didn't realize what a toll midterms took on me, but going to the spa and the party seem like just the ticket."

"Great, it's settled then! Get dressed and we'll head out to wherever you want to eat. My treat," said Alex, grabbing her purse in anticipation of the day ahead of them.

"Oh, in that case!" laughed Misty, "How about Chez Pierre's?"

"The most expensive place in Calysto? Genuine Mist…very genuine," laughed Alex.

"I'm only kidding, the deli is fine with me, only if we can eat outside," Misty pointed out, "I want to watch the surf on the beach."

"The deli it is then, we'll leave in about 10 minutes, so get ready quick. I'm starved!" exclaimed Alex, holding her stomach in mock pain. Alex had started to walk away when the sound of Misty's voice caused her to stop.

"Alex…thank you…for always being there for me when I needed to be cheered up," sighed Misty, "I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me."

"That's what friends are for," she said, smiling before leaving her friend alone with her thoughts.

Misty sighed once more, her gaze, falling back to that of the bracelet and the photo. Placing the photo on her nightstand and the bracelet back in its original place in her drawer, Misty sighed once more, now realizing more than ever, how much she had missed Ash's presence. Though he was gone, she was sure she could feel him around her, his presence bringing nothing but solace to her broken heart.

"I never realized until now how much I truly missed you…" she said to no one in particular, "But I'll try, for both of our sakes, to move on…for you."

A/N: And there ends chappy 2! Sorry it took so long to get it out. I honestly had most of it written up and just needed like a sentence or two more. Just me being lazy! Anyways, please review and AAML forever!


	3. Revelations

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon!

A/N: And here's chapter 3! Oh, and sorry for the long wait guys! Enjoy!

Chapter 3- Revelations

The light breeze sprayed the local streets with a thin layer of mist as people crowded the sidewalks, enjoying what the beautiful day had to offer. Misty and Alex had been walking for nearly 10 minutes, walking in and out of shops, on their way to the deli, a local hang out by many of the college students in Calysto. They had been window shopping, enjoying each other's company, as they strolled along the streets of the seaside town.

"Hey, check out this dress! That would look awesome on you," announced Alex, pointing at a strapless, baby blue evening dress.

"Wow, it's gorgeous," marveled Misty, pressing her fingers to the glass window, "Too bad I'm on a budget."

She laughed as she encouraged her friend to press forward.

"Oh my gosh Mist, how about this one?" smiled Alex, pointing to yet another window in the next store over.

"Come on Alex! At this rate, we'll never get there," teased Misty, leading her friend away from the window.

The two friends continued to walk down the bustling sidewalk, chit chatting about the day to come. A hooded figure, however, didn't see them and came colliding into a very confused Alex.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" shouted Alex as she rubbed her lower back to try and relieve the pain. She looked up to see who the stranger was and was met, face to face, with a young man in a black hooded sweater. The hood was loosely draped over his head as he went to help Alex to her feet.

"Sorry Alex, you okay?" the young man asked roughly. He had deep brown eyes, spiky black hair, and carried a somewhat depressing tone in his voice.

"Yeah, I think I'll live," she replied, standing up and brushing off the excess dust from her clothes.

"You okay Al?" asked Misty as she handed Alex's fallen purse to her. Misty tried to look over the young man, a possible friend of Alex's, but found it hard because of the hood.

Alex simply nodded as she continued to stare at the young man intently.

"Well, I gotta go, catch ya later," he said, briskly walking off in the opposite direction.

"Hey wait up!" called Alex, but it was too late. The mysterious figure had already retreated into the multitude of people surrounding the sidewalk.

"Who was that?" asked Misty, looking towards where the young man had been.

"I-I think that was Darren," replied Alex, unsure of herself, "Yeah, that was definitely him."

Alex motioned for Misty to continue walking as she started to explain the man that they had just encountered.

"That was Darren, he goes to the same school as us and lives in our apartment complex," explained Alex.

"A friend of yours?" questioned Misty as they neared the deli.

"Mmm…not quite a friend, just more like an acquaintance," she said as she held the door to the restaurant open for her friend.

"Hello ladies, welcome to Brent's Deli (A/N: this is a real life deli where I live…the best ever ). How many?" asked the friendly hostess.

"Two," stated Misty, holding up two fingers to accentuate her point.

"Okay…will that be inside or outside?"

"Outside please," smiled Misty as she watched the hostess take out two menus from behind her podium.

"Right this way ladies," smiled the hostess as she lead the two friends upstairs and onto the balcony that overlooked the harbor, "Here we are."

"Thank you," Misty and Alex said in unison as they took their seats and looked over the menu hungrily.

"So, what was up with that guy?" asked Misty, reverting back to the original conversation.

"He was just being himself," sighed Alex, "Although it is very unusual to see him out and about."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he hardly ever leaves that apartment of his. Can't really say that I blame him though, after what he's been through," replied Alex, instantly regretting what she had said.

"What happened to him?" asked Misty, cocking her head to one side.

"Oh…umm…I'm not sure," smiled Alex nervously.

"Oh come on, just tell me. How bad can it be?" prodded Misty.

Sighing, Alex propped her elbows on the table and looked out over the harbor. The ocean looked especially beautiful today, as the waves broke on the sand elegantly. She had sometimes taken the ocean for granted and continued to marvel at its beauty.

"Alex?" called Misty, noticing that her friend had begun to space off.

"Well, rumor has it that Darren's…well, his fiancée was killed a couple of years ago," she explained. Misty gasped and held a hand to her mouth to emphasize her shock.

"Oh, that's terrible," she gasped, shaking her head, "How did it happen?"

Alex made no eye contact as she continued to look out towards the ocean, "The rockslide…"

Misty's mouth had become dry as she tried to comprehend what her friend had just said. How many lives had that rockslide taken? How many lives had it affected? Countless innocent lives lost because of Aki and Marissa's lust to kill Ash…when was it going to stop?

"Poor thing," whispered Misty as she hung her head low.

Misty knew first hand the pain that that rockslide had caused her and she felt she could relate to the young man. Though she was still on the long road towards recovery, Misty felt she could better this man's life by allowing him to listen to her story and maybe…just maybe they would find the light amidst the darkness.

"Well, maybe…maybe I could talk to him," offered Misty gently.

The comment had earned her an odd look from her best friend as Misty reverted her attention back to the ocean.

"If you think about it, he and I are the same. We've both lost people dear to us in that rockslide…maybe, knowing someone that's been down the same road would help," smiled Misty.

Alex, however, just shook her head in dismay. She knew how Darren was and his attitude, as it would seem, would never change. He had already given up on life, holding himself up in his apartment, only coming out to attend school. He had also, on occasion, been known to miss school for days at a time and looking completely worn the day of his return. Though Alex knew Misty's intentions were pure, Darren would never change and he would only become upset at the mention of the accident.

"Not a good idea Mist," she said bluntly, "I know you mean well, but he just has a different approach on life."

"A different approach?" Misty repeated confusedly.

"Yeah…aka, he's pretty much given up on life," Alex nodded, taking a sip from her glass, "You talking to him might even provoke him into remembering the past. I don't want him to start verbally attacking you for trying to help…so just drop it."

Misty sighed as she looked out towards the ocean. How sad that a young man's life had to change so drastically because of Aki's selfless act. Though Alex knew the young man far better than she did, Misty still felt the need to connect to the young man and, perhaps, allow him to see the light.

"Forget it Misty, you'd only be wasting your time," announced Alex, seeing the look of determination on her friend's face.

"There must be a way to help," sighed Misty dejectedly.

Rubbing her temples at her friend's persistence, Alex replied, "Okay, I'll tell you what we'll do. I'll take you to his apartment to introduce him to you, but that's it. You're on your own from there."

"Thanks Alex," Misty smiled, happy that her friend had given in.

Their lunch went without a hitch as Alex paid the bill and prepared to leave the restaurant. The two girls walked in silence, both having an immense amount of thinking to do. Misty was trying to work out what she would say to the young man, while Alex was too excited about the party that same night to be bothered by their conversation at lunch.

Upon returning to their complex, Alex punched in the fourth floor and awaited the doors to open. Sensing Misty's nervousness, Alex put a hand on her friend's shoulder reassuringly.

"It'll be okay and, who knows, maybe you'll prove us all wrong and change him for the better," Alex smiled, exiting the elevator with her friend.

"Easier said than done according to you," exclaimed Misty, giving her friend a sly look.

Reaching their destination, Alex stood in front of room 435 in anticipation of what she might expect. Would Darren willingly allow them into his room? Or would he freak out and slam the door in their faces?

'Guess there's only one way to find out,' thought Alex as she pounded on the door.

Inside, the pair could hear shuffling and the sound of things being knocked around in a frenzy. Amongst the noisiness of the apartment, glass could be heard shattering to pieces as footsteps heavily approached the door.

Alex and Misty gave each other unsure glances as a voice could be heard from inside the room.

"Who's there?" demanded the voice.

"Darren, it's me, Alex. I wanted to know if I could come in for a second," she replied nicely.

"Now is not the best time Alex," came the voice as more shuffling could be heard within the confines of the room, "Come back later."

"Well, you heard the man," shrugged Alex, as she directed herself towards the elevator.

Misty stunned at what had just happened, ran to catch up with her friend, "I think we came at a bad time."

"No, I think we came at the perfect time," said Alex, "That is him being normal. Now tell me if you still want to prove us all wrong."

Misty sighed as she entered the elevator, giving into her friend's advice, the elevator door closing as she did so…

"Where the hell did I put that damn thing!?" Darren exclaimed, literally tearing his apartment to pieces.

He threw some papers on the ground, filed through his desk drawers, and searched through various cabinets but to no avail. The young man dropped to his knees, anguish written all over his face.

"I've lost her and now I've lost the only things that remind me of her. How could I have been so stupid!" he yelled, inwardly scolding himself for his lack of attention.

Slamming his fists into the floor, he cried silent tears of anguish praying that he would find his missing treasures before it was lost forever.

"Maybe your right, I didn't think it was that bad," Misty admitted, exiting the elevator with her friend.

"Well, believe it. Now let's drop the subject and relax for a while before the party," she exclaimed, opening the door to their two room flat.

Misty hadn't realized that the poor young man had been affected so drastically. He seemed almost rude, demanding, and extremely anti-social. He hadn't even opened the door to greet them properly.

'Maybe Alex was right, maybe he just needs to help himself before he lets others help,' thought Misty as she entered her room.

"Hey Al, I'm going to take a long hot bath before the party to kind of relieve myself," Misty announced, grabbing a bath towel from the cabinet.

"Alright, I'm going to go grab a soda from the vending machine. Do you want anything?" asked Alex, as she started for the door.

"No thanks, I'm good for now," called Misty as she closed the door to the bathroom to start her bath water.

Alex exited the room, thinking to herself of the events that had just transpired. She had to admit, Darren seemed more flustered than he normally did. All the commotion in the apartment, moreover, did nothing to ease her of her fears that Darren was still mentally unstable.

Upon reaching the vending machine, Alex went to take out a few coins from her purse when she dropped one underneath the machine. Sighing, she knelt down to retrieve the lost coin. Spotting it, she grabbed it with ease, but not before something caught her eye. She scooped out the object from underneath the machine and found what appeared to be a black wallet.

Examining the wallet, she opened it and started to search for some kind of identification, but was surprised to find a small metal object and what appeared to be a photo fall gracefully to the floor. Examining the two objects, Alex discovered that the shiny object was a ring. She had noticed the inscription on the band and brought it closer for further examination. The band read, 'Ash Ketchum 2003' and the back read 'I Love You…'. The thing that really caught her eye, however, was the heart and Japanese symbol engraved on the side.

Recognizing the symbol and heart, her heart started to pound a million beats a minute. Frantically searching for an ID card, she successfully found it amongst various credit cards and other important looking cards. Pulling the ID from its confines, Alex gasped at the name imprinted on the card.

"Darren…no way…"

A/N: And there's Chapter 3! Sorry if it might have been kind of boring, but I did leave a little bit of a cliffhanger lol! Anyways, please read and review! AAML for life!


	4. A Startling Discovery

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon!

A/N: Okay, sorry for the super long wait there guys but I've been on vacation and getting ready to start the fall semester (yuck)! Also, this chapter has some foul language (sorry, but I felt it necessary to express certain feelings) and therefore will be rated MA. Anyways, here's chapter 4, enjoy!

Chapter 4- A Startling Discovery

Alex simply stared at the ID, Darren's ID, as if it were a foreign object. Her hands trembled slightly as she held the ID and had almost forgotten about the photo that had slipped out with the ring.

The photo, as it turned out, was slightly crumpled and worn around the edges. It held a slight yellow hue, probably from many years of being folded and refolded time and time again.

Looking around quickly, Alex realized that she was alone in the lobby of the apartment complex. Scared, she slowly turned the photo over, afraid of what she might find. One quick glance was enough to get Alex running towards the nearest elevator at lightening speed as she frantically and continually hit the button for the fourth floor.

'This is insane,' she thought, willing the elevator to move faster. She glanced, yet again, to the picture in her hand, recognizing it immediately as the one Misty had shown her earlier that day. It was the exact replica of the picture of Misty and her deceased boyfriend, Ash. What she didn't know, however, was how Darren had come into contact with the same picture.

As soon as the double doors parted, Alex rushed out to the apartment where she was hoping to find all her answers. Furiously pounding on the door, Alex pressed her ear against it to see if she could hear any type of movement.

'Come on, open up. I know you're in there.'

"Who is it?" came a depressed voice from inside the apartment.

"Darren, it's Alex! Open up quick, this is important!" she practically screamed, getting weird looks from other people passing by.

Expecting to hear some worn down excuse, she jolted back as the door opened slightly to reveal the young man she had talked to earlier.

"What do you need Alex? I'm busy at the moment," sighed Darren, rubbing his head.

"I need to come in," she retorted.

"Alex, I really--"

But he was cut off when she shoved the wallet into plain view. Gasping for a moment, Darren opened the door the entire length and stood gaping at his lost treasure. He didn't know how she had found it and, frankly, did not seem to care. The money, credit cards, identification…none of it really mattered to him. He really only cared about his two treasures tucked inside the wallet, those of which could not be replaced. The only thing that truly mattered was that it was back in his possession, safe and sound.

Finally finding the words to speak, Darren stuttered a barely coherent response, "M-My wallet…you found my wallet."

He went to reach for the wallet when, to his surprise, Alex pulled it just out of reach. She stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind her and handed Darren the wallet. He held it in his hands for a moment, relishing in the feel of it between his hands before hastily opening it up. To his surprise, however, his prized possessions had not been where he had last left them. Searching frantically in the folds of the wallet, Alex gently placed the two objects on the kitchen table. 

"Looking for these?" she asked, as he whipped his head around.

Seeing his treasures, he scooped them up in his hands as if they were fragile artifacts and tenderly held them in his hands for a moment before turning back to Alex.

"Alex, I--"

"Don't worry about it…just tell me one thing," she started, "The man in this picture…who is he and why do you have his ring?"

"That's none of your business!" he snapped suddenly, tears threatening to fall.

"It is goddamn well my business!" she snapped back, "Now, who is he?!"

"He's dead, it doesn't matter anymore!" he yelled, taking a seat on the couch while holding his head in his hands, "They're both dead…"

'Both?' thought Alex, as she inched closer to where Darren had seated himself.

"H-He was a friend of mine…he died in that rockslide…and she committed suicide when she heard he had died…" he whispered, a small sob escaping his lips.

"Dead? B-But, the girl in this picture isn't dead, she's alive," breathed Alex.

Darren looked up from his position on the couch and gave Alex a threatening look that shot silent daggers her way. He got up slowly and Alex, scared, backed herself into a corner.

"Don't fuck with me Alex! I don't know what you're trying to play with here! It's none of your business and you shouldn't be poking your nose around where it doesn't belong!" he screamed, shoving the picture in plain view, "Do you even know who this is? This…" he pointed to the girl in the picture to accentuate his point, "Is the Cerulean City gym leader. And I'm sure you're well aware of the fact that she committed suicide almost immediately following the rockslide."

Darren's voice had started to get shaky as he slowly started to back off of Alex, realizing that he was starting to lose his temper. Alex, in turn, slowly shook her head knowing inside that what he was telling her wasn't true. Misty was downstairs, alive and well, and, to her knowledge, had never been a gym leader, so what exactly was Darren talking about? Afraid that he would flip out on her again, she decided to keep this piece of information from him until she questioned Misty. So many questions needed to be answered and Alex was sure Misty would provide them for her.

Alex, for the time being, simply nodded dumbly as if to ease Darren's doubt. She knew he was unstable and wanted to be sure she got out of his apartment safely.

"This is that girl…Misty…" he cried, caressing the picture.

'Misty?! What the hell is going on here?!' thought Alex, as she slowly headed for the door.

"You know what Darren, it looks like you need some time alone with your thoughts. I'll just let myself out," sighed Alex, as Darren gave her a simple, yet sad nod.

Exiting the apartment, Alex racked her brain for anything that Misty might have told her about being a gym leader or anything crucial about Ash. Realizing that she needed to talk to Misty, she rushed to the elevator in hopes that Misty would answer her questions…

Meanwhile…

The door to Misty and Alex's two bedroom flat had just been opened as Misty came out of her bedroom, expecting to see her best friend, but to her surprise found Jason, the love of Alex's life.

"Jason, what are you doing here?" asked Misty, a little startled by his sudden entrance.

"Hey Mist, just thought I'd drop by. Is Alex here by any chance?" he asked, searching the living room.

"No, but she should be back soon. Why?" she asked, smiling at him.

"Good, I need to talk to you. It's really important," he explained, receiving a questioning look from Misty.

"Oh, ok. What's it about?" she asked, putting her earrings in.

"I'd prefer if we took a walk while we talked," he smiled, hoping she would accept his request.

"Oh, I don't know Jason. Alex will be back soon and--"

"It won't take long. I promise, please Mist?" he pleaded.

Misty, not wanting her best friend to think she was betraying her, sighed. Misty knew of Alex's feelings for Jason and knew it was not right, however, Misty also knew that Alex trusted her. Torn between the two decisions, she caved in and decided to leave Alex a message.

"Alright you win," she smiled, writing on the notepad next to the phone, "Let me just write Al a note to tell her where I'm going."

Misty quickly scribbled on the note where she would be and who she would be with, but at the same time reassuring her friend that she had nothing to worry about. Jason probably just needed some friendly advice on some homework or something to that affect.

Grabbing her purse, she exited the room with Jason in tow…

Meanwhile…

Darren sat staring at the photo and thinking about his conversation with Alex. She was intent on making him believe that Misty was still alive, but how would she have known something like that? He had been there at her funeral, saw her sisters, and even Brock, though he knew he could not approach them. They were all crying at their loss…his loss, and knew she was gone from this world forever. Darren had thought many times that she had been lonely in those last few days of her life, thinking that she had lost him, knowing that Aki and Marissa had won. He beat himself up for it because he believed that he caused her untimely death, that he was the one that left her heartbroken, and that he might as well have pulled the trigger.

Alex was wrong…Misty couldn't be alive. However, was it possible? Was it possible that maybe Misty was alive…that it was somehow a huge mistake?

Just then, a bright flash engulfed the room, causing Darren to rear back and shield his eyes from sudden change in light. He held his hand to his eyes in an attempt to see what had caused the flare and saw the outline of a figure approaching him.

"Hello Ash."

A/N: Okay, I didn't mean to leave it all cliffhanger like, but what you see is what you get lol! Sorry if it was so short but I will try and get up the next chapter asap! Thanks and AAML for life!


	5. Back in Action

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon!

A/N: Okay, here's chapter 5. This chapter jumps around a lot, but I try to alert you and keep you well informed. Enjoy all!

Chapter 5- Back in Action

"Hello Ash," came a feminine voice.

The light had now completely subsided and Darren was given the opportunity to peer at his guest. He gasped as he recognized the person standing before him, then became angry at her presence, knowing that her reason for being there probably wasn't good.

"My name isn't Ash…it's Darren," corrected Darren, heatedly.

"Whatever your name is, you're still the same person from seven years ago," replied the figure.

"What the hell are you doing here after all these years anyway? Come to see how I've been coping with my loss? Just great, as a matter of fact, I couldn't be better!" he spat out, approaching her.

"Ash, it's not me you should be angry with," explained the figure, "And besides, she's alive."

'There it is again,' thought Darren ignoring the fact that she was calling him Ash, 'Someone else claiming that Misty is alive.'

"She's not, she can't be! If she were alive all this time, why haven't you told me? It's been seven years Hikara! Seven years!" he screamed, trying to hold in his tears.

Hikara approached Darren, eyeing him sadly. She noticed that he had lost much of his confidence and lust for life. He no longer was the teenager she had remembered him to be, the person who would defeat Aki and Marissa once and for all.

"I haven't been able to locate you until now," she explained, "You, your soul, everything seemed untrackable."

"Then how…how did you find me now?" he asked, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Hope," she stated simply, "I felt your presence, I felt you having a small glimpse of hope and that's what lead me to you."

Ash racked his brain and realized that right before Hikara had appeared he had thought of the possibility of Misty being alive. That was how she knew where to find him, however, whatever she had to say would do no good. Misty was gone and would never return.

"She's alive," she repeated again, "I swear to you Ash."

He simply shook his head and sobbed, "S-She can't be! Don't you understand? It's over! Aki and Marissa have won…I'm no chosen one!"

"That's not true Ash," she smiled.

"Stop calling me that! Ash is dead, he was weak…he couldn't save Misty…they're both gone forever," he whispered, holding a hand up to his head.

"If you ask me," she continued, "you don't look like much of a Darren."

He whipped his head up, angry that she seemed to be toying with him in his time of need. Hikara was a fool, she didn't know what it was like, nor did she seem to care that Misty was gone. She was mislead, brutally misinformed about Misty. She was dead, gone to a better place where he couldn't follow her.

"Ash…Aki and Marissa are still out there," explained Hikara, her voice turning serious, "If you don't snap out of it, they really will kill Misty this time. Is that what you want?"

He was shaking now, unable to control himself. Hikara was lying, there just was no way Misty was alive. He, however, seemed to be filled with a small glimmer of hope. What if she was telling the truth? But, if so, why would Misty fake her own death?

"Snap out of it Ash! They are going to kill Misty when they get the chance! Not many people are given second chances and I would think you of all people would act on that," she said, as a small glow filled the room.

Hikara gently placed a black outfit on the dining room table along with a cloak that seemed to glimmer even through the darkness of the room. She also placed what seemed to be a sword on top of the uniform that glistened.

"The cloak of purity…it is rightfully yours, that is, if you still want it," she explained, "This outfit will protect you from certain types of magic that Aki may attack you with, however, it is only as strong as the person wearing it."

Darren lifted the cloak up and examined it, remembering it from the time when Misty had once been engulfed in it. Back then, he had thought he had lost her, but, as it turned out, she was alive. Could this be another one of those times too?

"As for the sword, it belonged to your father. He wants you to have it. It carries immense power, but can only be yielded by those worthy of it. You'll find it very useful…if you can yield it that is," she explained.

"But…how?" he asked timidly.

"Act now and ask questions later. She needs you now more then ever," she replied, "Search your heart and you will find her."

Again, a white light filled the room and Hikara, just as she had appeared, had disappeared. Darren was left, holding the cloak and staring blankly at the uniform and sword she had left. Could it really be true, was Misty really alive after all this time?

'I don't know what to do,' he thought to himself, 'I don't want this to lead nowhere, yet, my heart is telling me to believe her.'

His heart was beating rapidly now, as he held his hand to it in a vain attempt to slow it down. He wanted to know the answer…and the only way of doing that was by following orders. Darren slowly closed his eyes and tried to visualize Misty as she was so many years ago. He tried to picture her deep cerulean blue eyes, her soft skin, slim figure, and beautiful red hair. Concentrating with all of his heart, a vision came into his mind. He quickly opened his eyes and bolted for his room…

Meanwhile…

Alex was back in her apartment reading over the letter that Misty had left her. Sighing she knew that she had to find Misty. This couldn't wait…she needed to know the truth. Rushing out of the apartment, she headed for the park, hoping that she would find Misty and, possibly, some answers to this mystery…

In the meantime…

Misty was being lead deeper and deeper into the park as her and Jason found a bench and seated themselves next to the edge of the Calysto Lake. They had both been very quiet, and no one had dared speak until now.

"So, Jason, what was it that you needed to tell me?" asked Misty, turning towards him.

Suddenly, Jason's eyes glowed an evil red as he stood, towering over her.

"Jason?" spoke Misty, standing before him.

"Finally we meet again," spoke Jason, however, his voice was not his own, but someone familiar and much more sinister.

Misty gasped as she back away from him, realizing who the voice belonged to.

"No…it can't be," she whispered.

"We've been waiting for you my dear. It has been far too long," spoke the voice, as Jason, seemingly his puppet advanced on her, gripping Misty by the shoulders.

Misty, frightened, had tried to loosen his grip on her but found that he was much too strong. Everything was starting to come back to her…all the pained nights alone, the excruciating hurt she experienced from losing Ash, and the anger she felt at having lost him to them. She continued to struggle and, when she found she could not escape, he laughed at her maliciously.

"Still as weak as ever my dear," he taunted, throwing her against the concrete of the nearby bench.

Falling to the ground, Misty's body ached as she struggled to get up, knowing that he was only playing with her. She held her arm where she had fallen and backed up as he started to advance on her once more.

"What have you done to Jason?" she asked, mustering as much courage as she could.

"Hm? You mean this fool? Such a weak minded individual…allowing me to enter his mind and completely take over, but if you wish him to return to his normal state, so be it," he said, as the red from Jason's eyes vanished.

Jason, confused, turned to look at Misty. He had no idea what he was doing in the park, moreover, what he was doing there with Misty. The last thing he remembered was being in his room, taking a nap before the party.

"J-Jason?" asked Misty, unsure of whether or not he was himself.

"Misty? What's going on? What are we doing here?" he asked, helping her up from her current position on the grass.

She was about to answer when, all of a sudden, lightening struck the ground near them. There, dressed in black cloaks, stood Aki and Marissa, smirks adorning both their faces. Marissa had her arms folded, her long black hair pulled back into a ponytail, stray hair slightly covering her eyes. Aki, on the other hand, looked all the more sinister with his jet black hair and his evil, yet stoic face.

"What are you doing here?" stuttered Misty, as she pulled Jason to the side.

"We've come to finish the job," announced Marissa, using her psychic powers to throw Jason to the side.

"Jason!" yelled Misty, running to his aid, "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah, who the hell are they?" he asked, returning to his feet.

She simply shook her head, not quite exactly sure how to tell him. She could never explain to him who they were or her connection to them. He would never believe her nor would he understand any of it. Instead, she took her place between Jason and the duo as they, once more, advanced on her.

"We've been in hiding, building our powers, allowing them to grow with each passing day," explained Aki, "until the day when we would meet again and I would be rid of you once and for all."

"Yes, it has been seven years since the chosen one has fallen under our power…and now it is your turn," smirked Marissa.

"I don't know who the hell you guys are, but you aren't going to hurt her!" yelled Jason, stepping up between Misty and the duo.

Aki and Marissa simply laughed and, again, Jason was thrown aside via Marissa's psychic powers, however, this time he flew much farther and slammed into a nearby tree, stunning him.

"No…" whispered Misty, angry and now, afraid to move, "No! Leave him out of this! If you want me so bad, take me! You've already taken Ash from me…there's nothing more for me here…"

"So easy this one," commented Marissa, "Your end shall be quick and painless."

"Farewell my dear," spoke Aki as he readied a ball of light and aimed it at Misty.

Misty closed her eyes as she prepared to take the blast at point blank range. She could faintly hear Jason screaming her name as the ball of energy was released from Aki's fingertips. Misty thought of Ash and how she would soon be with him for all eternity, she thought of her sisters, of Brock, and realized that Aki and Marissa had finally won. Misty waited for the attack to strike, as she felt the wind blow threw her hair. However, the attack never made contact as Misty felt herself being swept away. She slowly opened her eyes and realized that she was in the arms of a black cloaked figure. Not knowing what else to do, she started to squirm in his grasp and try to find some sort of escape.

Startled by the sudden movements of the young girl, the stranger stooped behind a large tree and set her down in front of the stump.

"Who the hell are you?!" yelled Misty, but made sure to restrain herself, knowing Aki and Marissa were nearby.

"I think I'm the one who just saved your life," spoke the stranger, as he lifted his hood to reveal his face.

"Darren?" asked Misty, recognizing the young man from their earlier encounter, "What are you--"

"We don't have much time before Aki and Marissa find us," said Darren as he peaked behind the tree.

'How does he know about them?' she thought, looking, for the first time into his eyes.

Darren, aware of the fact that she was now examining him, did the same. Could it be true that this young girl sitting before him was his Misty? The same one that he had thought he had lost all those years ago? Her eyes seemed so warm and inviting and, for a split second, he forgot where he was. In his mind, he was back in Pallet, caressing her soft cheek as they playfully cuddled on his bed, talking, kissing, and just enjoying each other's company. Was Hikara really telling him the truth?

To Misty, the young man, Darren, slightly resembled the young boy from her youth that she had adored so much. His eyes were a chocolate brown and looked as if they had endured much pain and suffering over the years. But she knew, that that could not be. She knew that Ash had perished under the influence of Aki and Marissa. However, seeing this young man made her remember of all the times her and Ash spent together. Unknowingly, a tear escaped her, but she made no attempt to wipe it away.

Darren brought a hand up to her cheek to wipe the tear away, but as soon as he had made contact she shuddered. Misty had never shuddered at his touch before…he had to be sure.

"Misty…my name," she spoke before he had a chance to, "Who are you?"

Darren merely stared at her, his hand still pressed lightly against her cheek. She was trembling slightly and, all of a sudden, he felt the need to embrace her. He, however, held his feelings at bay needing to make sure that this girl was the real thing.

"Misty…it's me…Ash…" he whispered and as soon as he spoke those words, tears started cascading down her cheeks.

"No! That can't be! Ash died a long time ago…he died…you're not him!" she sobbed, crying into her hands.

Ash, not knowing what else to do, threw back his gloved hand to reveal his ring. She stared at it through blurry eyes and let out a small gasp. Ash, realizing that she knew the truth embraced her in a loving hug. She pressed her face into his chest, taking in everything, his scent, his touch, his embrace. She cried into his chest holding him tight, relishing in what should have never been taken away.

"Ash…I-I didn't know what--"

"Shh…it's okay. I'm here now and I won't let anything harm you," he whispered, "God Mist…I thought I'd lost you."

Silent tears were now cascading down both of their cheeks as they embraced, neither feeling the need to rush or cease in their actions. Ash pressed his nose against Misty's head and took in her familiar scent of roses. He closed his eyes remembering how he had used to do this every morning before that fateful day. Her trembling had seemed to cease under his embrace as, she too, took in his warmth. Ash slowly broke away and held Misty's face between his two hands and smiled brightly at her. He had forgotten how to smile in the past seven years and now that he knew the truth, he felt he couldn't stop.

Misty knew what Ash wanted to do, knew that he wanted to take her away from all of this, kiss her passionately and tell her that everything would be okay. And slowly but surely, he started to inch his face towards her, slightly parting his lips as he did so. She, in turn, had started to close the gap between their lips.

All of a sudden, a huge blast could be heard nearby as both Ash and Misty jerked their heads towards the tree behind which they were hiding to find that it was no longer there. The tree had been blasted into a million pieces, small twigs and branches flying in all directions as Ash went to protect Misty from any debris that could cause harm.

"You don't know who you're dealing with!" yelled Marissa as both she and Aki started to advance on Ash and Misty, "You just earned yourself a one way ticket to hell!"

She had started to glow an eerie red color before Aki, gently, placed a hand on her shoulder to cease her actions.

"Now, now Marissa, calm yourself," Aki said gently.

At the sound of his voice, Ash scowled thinking of everything that he and Misty had been put through the last seven years. Because of him, they had thought that they had lost one another, thought that all hope had been lost, and, moreover, had given up that the other was even alive until now.

Misty, on the other hand, was standing next to Ash, glaring at Aki for the very same reasons. She had suffered unparalleled amounts of pain and suffering, even going to great lengths as to fake her own death.

"Now…" breathed Aki, but before he could start, Alex could be heard running at full speed to an injured Jason.

"What the hell happened? Misty, what the hell's going on?" she panicked, helping Jason to his feet while examining the scene before her.

"Looks like we have an audience," smirked Marissa, who had reverted back to her normal condition.

"Darren? What are you doing here? What's going on?" she repeated, setting Jason down on the bench and beginning to approach them.

"Alex stop! Don't come any closer!" shouted Misty, holding her hand up to prove her point, "Listen, you need to get out of here now! Take Jason with you, it's not safe!"

"I doubt that's an option now my dear," said Aki as a blast of light surrounded the area, engulfing everyone and everything within a 20 yard radius.

Misty rubbed her eyes and tried to refocus her vision before realizing that they were no longer in the park, but in a building that seemed very familiar. Ash too seemed to sense its familiarity as he examined their surroundings, also making sure that Alex and Jason were all right.

"Where are we?" asked Alex, scared and literally petrified.

"It looks like an old building," announced Jason who had remained silent for most of the ordeal.

"This looks like…" Misty trailed off.

"It is," answered Ash, who had almost read her mind.

The building had the same walls, the same eerie feeling and sense of evil it did on the day they had met. For this was the same building that Ash and Misty had first met Aki, the same building in which Misty's life hung in the balance, and the same building in which they would decide the fate of the world.

"What good memories we have," smirked Marissa as both she and Aki materialized into the center of the room.

"Now, back to business," spoke Aki as he approached the four young adults, "Do you know what you've gotten yourself into young man? Do you know who I am?"

"I know exactly what I've walked into Aki. And I know that I should've finished you off long ago," said Ash as he unsheathed the sword that Hikara had given him.

The sword was polished white gold with an inscription on the handle that read 'courage.' A diamond adorned the small of the handle and the razor sharp edge glistened even in the darkness of the building.

"You…" whispered Aki, "No…it can't be. You're supposed to be dead!"

"Funny how thing's don't work out as planned huh?" smiled Ash.

"Master…who is this heathen?" questioned Marissa.

"Look at him Marissa, we've failed," he scowled, "The chosen one stands before us, taunting us with the sword of his father and the cloak of purity."

A small gasp escaped Marissa's lips as she realized their mistake. It was true, the chosen one, for whatever reason, had been spared. He was alive with his precious treasure, making him all the more powerful to defeat.

"You're alive…you survived," breathed Marissa angrily, "We shall make sure we do not make the same mistake twice."

"We'll just see about that," smirked Ash.

"You will fall this time around chosen one, I guarantee it," growled Aki, "Both of you shall die at my hands!"

Suddenly, he threw a ball of energy at the couple. Ash pushed Misty to the side as they both toppled over in a heap. Misty was the first to recover as she took Jason by the shoulders and made him look at her.

"Listen, you guys need to hide. It's not safe," she demanded, "Take Alex with you and hide somewhere until this is all over with."

"No, forget it," responded Jason as he shook his head.

"Yeah, are you crazy or something!" yelled Alex.

"Listen, there's no time for this!" Misty yelled, watching as Ash dodged attack after attack. She knew he would not be able to last much longer without her help, "I'll be fine, I promise. Now please, just hide!"

Jason and Alex looked to one another and finally nodded. Alex engulfed Misty in a quick hug before looking her square in the eye.

"You stay safe and come back alive or I'll kill you myself," Alex warned.

Misty simply smiled and gave her long time friend a reassuring look as if to say that everything would work out okay. Alex, taking that as her cue, took off to a far corner with Jason at her heels to hide behind one of the pillars that adorned the room.

"What's Darren have to do with any of this?" whispered Jason.

"I don't know, but it has something to do with his connection with that photo," answered Alex.

Jason, not knowing what photo she was talking about, merely kept quiet as he and Alex hid behind a pillar. They, however, were in plain view of the action and could still hear the bouts of conversation going on between the two sides.

"Death awaits you both," said Aki as he observed a very tired Ash, "It is inevitable."

"Not if I can help it," spat Ash as he held his sword up to deflect yet another attack. Losing his balance, Ash toppled to the side vulnerable to another attack.

Misty ran to his aid, helping him up as the two advanced on them.

"Ash, we can't keep this up," whispered Misty as she and Ash ran in the opposite direction of Aki and Marissa.

"I know, but--"

All of a sudden, a blast hit Ash square in the back, blasting him about 10 feet into the air before he hit the ground with a vicious thud.

"Ash!" yelled Misty as she ran to his trembling body.

Pain racked Ash's whole body as if every bone had been broken. He found it extremely difficult to keep himself up as Misty urged him to get up. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Marissa moving in, dagger in hand, poised to strike Misty in the back. Willing his body to move, he forced himself to his knees and conjured every muscle in his arms to lift the sword and deflect the attack before it found its target. Upon seeing this, Misty whipped her head around to see Marissa and her dagger mere inches from her face.

Marissa scowled at her misfortune. She had thought for sure that he had been too weak to defend himself and yet, they were locked in battle, her dagger against his sword.

Just then, Ash pushed Misty to the side and pushed against Marissa's dagger. He forced his energy into the sword and forced her back, causing her to slightly lose her balance.

"Still some fight left in you I see," she scowled, "We'll see how much longer you can keep that up!"

She attacked once more as Ash deflected attack after attack. Each blow was slowly starting to wear him down, but he refused to give in. He needed to succeed, for Misty's sake and for his own. His luck, however, had turned from bad to worse as he watched Marissa pull a second dagger from the confines of her cloak. She struck him across the cheek, causing his sword to fly across the floor and causing him to fall, blood gushing down his face.

"Ash!" yelled Misty.

She ran to him supporting his weight over her shoulders as he swayed slightly from the sudden impact and loss of blood.

"I grow tired of these games," growled Aki as he advanced on the couple, "If you mean that much to each other, you shall die together!"

Ash held Misty tight, realizing that this could be the end. He looked into her eyes as she mouthed the only words he longed to hear for all those years. As Aki readied his attack, he smirked in satisfaction.

"The day the chosen one and his treasure perished at my hands…I will enjoy this," he smiled maliciously, opening his palm up wider.

Suddenly, a huge blast could be heard on the opposite end of the building where Jason and Alex had been hiding. The large iron double doors that had once acted as the entrance now stood in shambles off to the side. Jason and Alex peered from behind the pillar with which they were hiding and looked up hopefully.

As the dust and smoke began to settle several figures could be made out in the distance. Watching with bated breath, Ash and Misty saw a sight that made both of them smile, allowing them to think that they actually stood a chance…that they just might survive this ordeal.

A/N: Another chapter complete! Yay, and I did that one in record time too lol! Anyways, please read and review, thanks and AAML for life!


	6. A Fighting Chance

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon!

A/N: Okay here's chapter 6…this one is kinda cross-overish (the same cross-over as Fight for Love) with Li and Sakura from Cardcaptors…I'm finally beginning to wind down with this trilogy…kinda sad lol! This trilogy was actually my very first fic idea…ah the memories lol! Anyways enjoy!

Chapter 6- A Fighting Chance

As the smoke from the entrance thinned, five figures could be seen in the doorway, standing tall and poised for battle. The figures stepped closer, away from the smoke to reveal themselves to the onlookers. Alex and Jason looked confused, as if wondering whether these mysterious people were on their side, Ash and Misty smiled brightly, knowing that the odds had changed in their favor, and Aki and Marissa stood, anger etched on both their faces.

"My dear sister…" hissed Marissa as she stared maliciously at Hikara, who stood with a confident look on her face.

"Marissa…I see your still following that demon around like a puppy dog," mocked Hikara as she stepped to the front of the group.

Marissa growled at her younger sister, her anger flaring up within her. Aki, however, placed a gentle hand over her shoulder to calm her nerves and reassure her that there was no need to be upset.

"Ash! Is that you?!" yelled a figure from the back of the group.

A young man with spiky brown hair, tall stature, and a Pikachu at his side came forward to examine the scene before him.

"Brock! Pikachu!" yelled Ash and Misty simultaneously as he and Pikachu ran to them, ignoring Aki and Marissa.

"Ash, you're alive! What the hell happened to you? I was sure the rockslide had killed you," he exclaimed, a million questions plaguing his mind while he tried to hold back the tears he had longed to cry since he had lost his two friends. All the while, Pikachu had jumped into its' masters arm, happy to see him again.

"There'll be enough time for explanations," smiled Ash, petting Pikachu happily, "after we finish them off."

"Brock…" smiled Misty, as she remembered the time when she had faked her own death while Brock was clueless to her actions.

Brock stared at her intently, eyeing the young girl as if he were trying to dig deep into his past in an attempt to uncover her identity. She had a familiarity about her that he couldn't quite figure out and a warm comfort that she exerted from her every being. Could it be the young girl he and Ash had traveled with all those years ago?

'No, it can't be,' thought Brock suddenly, 'Misty's dead.'

As if reading his thoughts, Misty smiled and spoke, "Brock, it's me…Misty."

He gasped and looked to Ash for confirmation who, in turn, smiled and nodded. Brock could feel the tears burning in his eyes at the sight of his two best friends, who he had once believed to be dead, standing before him, very much alive. Pikachu, also alarmed at Misty's appearance, jumped into her arms happily, nuzzling its' cheek into her neck. Misty giggled at Pikachu's soft fur against her skin, relishing in the feel of its warmth.

"Pikachu pi!"

"We're back together again," he smiled, wiping away the tears of joy, as he engulfed both of them in a hug, "as it should be."

"We missed you too Brock, but the q and a will have to wait until later," spoke Ash as he noticed Aki advancing on another figure in the group, his father.

"Again, you impress me Satoshi," growled Aki, trying to keep his composure as he slowly approached his eldest brother.

"Aki…still at the old tricks I see?" said Satoshi as he too slowly approached his brother.

"It ends here brother," smirked Aki.

"That it does," smiled Satoshi as the other two figures ran to Ash, Misty, and Brock.

"Ash, Misty! Are you guys okay?" asked the young girl, the same girl from their fight 9 years ago, a fight that they would end today.

"Looks like we came just in time," announced the boy, who had just wielded his sword and handed Ash back his own fallen sword.

"Li, Sakura, how did you find us?" asked Misty.

"Hikara informed us of what had happened and Ash's father opened up a vortex into this dimension," explained Li.

"They told us what had happened and well, here we are," smiled Sakura gently.

"Looks like we actually have a chance now, huh?" smiled Ash as he held the sword in his hands gingerly.

"Sorry, to break up this tender moment!" yelled Marissa as she lunged at the group, twin daggers in hand.

"Watch out!" warned Li as he pushed Sakura, Ash, Misty, and Brock out of the way.

Ash, recovering from the sudden change of direction, scanned his surroundings for anything that may aide them. He knew that Aki and Marissa were all powerful and that, even with all their combined powers, defeating them would prove to be a challenge. Suddenly, he watched as Hikara jumped into the fray, attacking Marissa from behind with her polearm.

"Your fight is with me!" yelled Hikara, as she swung at her sister ferociously.

"You shall die sister!" growled Marissa, parrying her sister's attacks.

"You've decided the fate of these children, Satoshi. When they die at my hands, you will have no one left to blame but yourself," breathed Aki.

"I don't believe that to be true Aki. They will succeed and defeat you. I have chosen them for a reason, they're destinies are to defeat the ultimate evil," spoke Satoshi confidently.

"So be it…then you will see your only son fall to his knees in defeat, dead by your hands," Aki growled, switching targets and focusing on Ash.

Satoshi kept quiet, sensing Aki's anger and knowing that nothing good could come from it if he kept aggravating him. Suddenly, he watched as Aki lunged towards Ash, powerful balls of energy flying in every direction. Ash kept parrying as Li and Sakura attempted to aide him with magical attacks of their own. Misty, looking helpless, kept a close eye on the battle before her, afraid of losing Ash a second time.

Sensing helplessness from Misty, Satoshi floated over towards her and pulled from his cloak a bow and arrow. Misty, giving him a puzzled look accepted the weapons hesitantly.

"They are yours to use if you wish," spoke Satoshi, "They once belonged to Hikara when I was training her as my apprentice, she has no need of them anymore."

"But, are you sure?" asked Misty, watching as Hikara ruthlessly fought her sister.

"Die!" Misty overheard Hikara scream as she swung once more at her sister, causing Marissa to lose her balance.

"I am positive, besides, Hikara has always favored close range attacks anyways," smiled Satoshi.

Misty smiled, slinging the pack of arrows over her shoulder and fiddling with the bow. She had never held one before let alone fire one, how was she supposed to be of any help? The chance that she hit the wrong person was high and she wasn't sure if she could take the risk. Satoshi, however, sensing her concern smiled genuinely.

"Don't worry, it will come naturally when the time comes. You need to believe in yourself Misty, I know Ash does," said Satoshi as he pulled yet another weapon from the confines of his cloak.

"This dagger is for close ranged attacks, it will only appear, however, when you need it," he said as the dagger, suddenly, disintegrated. The sand that was once the dagger slipped through Satoshi's fingers and drifted into a small pile on the ground.

"It will regain its shape when you need it the most," he continued as his eyes shifted towards his son, still fighting for his life, "Now go, they need you."

Misty nodded confidently and scanned the room for Ash. He wasn't hard to spot. He was trying desperately to get in any kind of shot at Aki, but Aki's quickness along with his magic made that a difficult task. One of Aki's energy balls hit Ash, however, sending Ash flying into the nearby wall.

"Look's like your father was wrong to put his faith in you chosen one," smirked Aki as he slowly advanced.

Ash, breathing heavily, gripped his arm as he attempted to hoist himself up with the aide of his sword but found it difficult considering his condition. Aki, took this opportunity to rush at Ash, gripping him by the collar and bringing Ash face to face with Aki.

"You should have stayed dead," whispered Aki, as he prepared an attack in the palm of his hand.

Suddenly, a piercing light blew between Aki and Ash, separating them and temporarily phasing Aki. An arrow, the source of the light, was wedged in the wall next to Ash, a heavenly glow surrounding it. Ash, taking this opportunity, struck Aki in the stomach with his sword. Aki gasped for a moment, taking in the sensation that was surging through his body. Leaving the sword imbedded in Aki's abdomen, Ash ran to Misty, who had just lowered her bow.

Aki, however, still stood, the sword awkwardly sticking out of him. No blood, however, seemed to be flowing from the wound, which made Ash worry.

"Ash, you did it!" exclaimed Sakura as both her and Li made their way to the couple.

"Don't be so sure," breathed Aki, as he removed the sword via magic and flung it in Ash's direction.

"Ash!" yelled Misty and Brock, who was standing on the sidelines watching the scene before him.

"Pika pi!"

Ash's voice seemed caught in his throat for a moment before he fell to his knees. The sword, which had struck Aki only moments ago, was now imbedded in Ash, threatening his life. Summoning all his strength, Ash pulled the sword from his stomach, blood gushing from the open wound.

Misty dropped to her knees as she supported Ash's body as Brock and Pikachu ran up to them frantically. This couldn't be happening; she would not lose him again.

"Ash, stay with me, you hear me? You're going to be okay," Misty reassured, more for herself than for him.

"Yeah Ash, you've been through worse," remarked Brock.

"Pikachu pika," whimpered Pikachu solemnly.

He merely nodded and slowly opened his mouth to speak, "M-Misty, I love you…"

"Oh no you don't Ash Ketchum! It's not over yet! Just shut up!" Misty yelled tears streaming down her face, "I will not lose you again!"

"Li, isn't there something we can do?" asked Sakura, worried.

"The only way to save him is to defeat Aki," answered Li, "We need to combine our powers and force our energies into one final attack. That's the only chance we've got. What do you say Ash? Up for one more?"

Ash weakly nodded and stood, with the help of Misty, despite the pain coursing through his body.

"Let's do it," he breathed.

"You don't know when to give up, do you?" smiled Aki who was now joined by Marissa.

"Prepare to meet your end!" yelled Marissa as she advanced on the group and focused her energies on a very weakened Ash.

Raising her daggers high in the air, Marissa readied the final blow that she thought would kill Ash for good, however, Misty stood between them hands held high in defense as a dagger made of silver materialized in her hands.

"You won't get him this time," Misty breathed as she pushed a shocked Marissa off balance.

"Still some tricks up your sleeve, I see," smirked Marissa, "Good, and I thought this would be too easy."

Marissa ruthlessly swung at Misty daggers flying in every direction as Misty did her best to parry each swing. With each swing of the blades, Misty grew more and more worried that Ash would not make it, however, she knew she would fight for him just like he had for her. Though she grew tired and fatigued after several minutes of fighting, Misty kept Ash in her thoughts knowing that their chances of success were slim.

Just then, as if sensing Misty's doubt, Marissa found the opening that she had been hoping would appear and slashed a gash in Misty's face, causing her to reel backwards, dazed.

"M-Misty," breathed Ash, trying to regain his composure and stand on his own.

"No, Ash, you're too weak to battle," reasoned Brock, holding his injured friend back, "She'll be okay."

Misty, now wiping the blood away from her face, turned to face Marissa. Misty knew that Marissa was far too powerful to defeat on her own, but she had to try.

"Now treasure, you shall die!" yelled Marissa as she ran to do in the final blow.

"Freeze!" summoned Sakura.

The freeze card flew out of the confines of its card and blew towards Marissa's direction, freezing her feet to the floor.

"What the hell is this magic?" screamed Marissa, enraged.

"Misty quick! We need to do this now or Ash won't make it!" ordered Li, who was now helping Brock support a very weak Ash.

Misty ran to her friends, temporarily forgetting about Aki and Marissa.

"He's getting weaker, this is our only chance of defeating Aki once and for all, we can't let it pass us by," announced Li, "And it may be our only chance of saving Ash."

Misty stared at Ash and saw the pain and fear in his eyes that told of uncertainty and doubt. She had never seen him like that before and it scared her beyond all measure. She knew that now more than ever Aki had to die, and she was willing to do just about anything to make that possible.

"Sakura, now!" yelled Li.

"Shield, come to my aide!" summoned Sakura as a greenish barrier surrounded the group, causing Aki and Marissa to falter.

"You think this meager barrier will keep me out?" scoffed Aki as he threw energy balls at the barrier.

The balls of energy, however, merely bounced off disintegrating into thin air, leaving Aki and Marissa stunned and confused.

"What is this magic master?" asked Marissa, breaking free of the ice that had once bound her to the floor.

Without answering, Aki kept attacking with balls of energy in the direction of the barrier in an attempt to infiltrate it.

"Quick, I'm not sure how long this thing will hold," cried Sakura.

"Hold hands, all of you," ordered Li as they all did what they were told, Ash having a little more trouble but refusing help from either Brock or Misty.

Misty felt a power surge within her that she had never experienced before. It left her feeling light, as if she could take on the world. Just then, the symbol emblazoned on her arm started to glow in sync with the rest of the group's. She could vaguely hear Li chanting some kind of spell as the balls of energy continued to bounce off of the barrier. Her focus, however, was on Ash. He was still bleeding profusely and his breathing had become labored from the beating he took earlier. She was worried that if this didn't work, Ash wouldn't make it. She couldn't face that reality, she couldn't bear another day without him and losing him a second time would absolutely kill her.

All of a sudden, a glowing ball of light emerged within the circle of friends, gradually growing in size as Li continued to chant. Li, however, gave a disapproving look when he saw the size of it and quietly grimaced.

Misty could vaguely hear him whispering something to Sakura and she strained her ears to get a better idea of what was going on.

"It's no good," Li whispered, "It's not big enough. We won't be able to defeat Aki with this."

"But Li, there's got to be a way," begged Sakura, "We need more energy somehow."

"Fool, the only way to get more energy is to completely wipe each and every one of us of our individual energy," countered Li.

"Why can't we do that?" asked Sakura, keeping her eye on the energy ball that had stopped growing.

"Because we would all die," he sighed, "We're so close too…all we need is a little more…"

Misty thought about what Li had just said, putting the pieces together in her head. Finally, things started to fall into place.

'In order to get more power, we need more energy, and in order to do that…' Misty's thoughts trailed off as she realized what she had to do.

Ash had sacrificed enough for her and now it was her turn to do the same. She knew that he would gladly sacrifice his life for hers, so that's why Misty remained quiet. She didn't want Ash to know what she was planning on doing next; she knew it would kill him, but there was no other way around it. She knew what she had to do…

She turned her head and stared at Ash as he battled to exert as much energy into the ball as physically possible. She smiled at him, knowing that this would be the last time she would lay eyes on him. Love was a fickle thing, Misty knew, it made you do crazy things, and she would prove her love to Ash on this day…

"Ash, I love you," she whispered lightly.

Ash, in turn, whipped his head up upon hearing Misty's voice. He looked at her intently as the energy made her glow like an angel. He couldn't remember a time when she looked so radiant. However, a small gasp escaped his lips as she let go of his and Sakura's hands and slowly entered the ring of energy.

"Misty no!" yelled Ash, knowing what it was that she was trying to do. He took a step forward but was stopped by Li.

"Ash, don't! If you move, it's all over and we'll all die," announced Li.

Misty smiled at Ash, as if to reassure him that everything would be okay, however, silent tears streamed down Ash's face as Misty disappeared into the glowing abyss. Misty's sudden actions had caused the ball to double in size causing Sakura's barrier to break on impact.

"What is this?!" screamed Aki.

"You impudent fools, you cannot defeat us!" yelled Marissa as both her and Aki advanced.

"That's it! Now!" yelled Li as the ball of energy engulfed the entire room, blinding everyone in the vicinity.

Ash shielded his eyes, hoping to find Misty after the flash had subsided, praying that she hadn't knowingly sacrificed herself to defeat Aki and save him. As his tears fell to the ground, he could only think of one thing.

Was Misty still alive?

A/N: Yay! Finally got this one done! Now, I think only a chapter or 2 left and it'll be done for good. Thanks for the patience guys and AAML for life!


	7. The Ultimate Sacrafice

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon!

A/N: Okay, so here's chapter 7 up and running! Enjoy!

Chapter 7 – The Ultimate Sacrifice

The heavenly light that had once engulfed the room was slowly starting to dim. Ash, who had shielded his eyes the whole time, rubbed at them furiously in order for his vision to return more rapidly. He could hear the moans of his friends as, like him, their energy had been almost completely drained, however, one question still remained.

'Where's Misty?' thought Ash as he brought his hands from his eyes and looked around frantically.

His eyes came to rest in the middle of their circle, a lifeless form on the ground, a heavenly glow surrounding her body. It was then that he realized that he could move and that his wound had been healed completely. Ash rushed to the fallen body and knelt down carefully, tears threatening to fall. He gently lifted Misty's head and laid it to rest on his lap as she continued to glow.

"Mist, please wake up. It's all over now, we can go home, back to our lives in Pallet. It'll be just like the old days," he whispered caressing her cheek as his tears dropped down to her face, looking as if she were crying too, "Please Misty…"

"Misty, oh no…" cried Alex, who had just rushed over, Jason hot on her heels, "There's no way..."

Brock and Pikachu also solemnly walked over to their fallen companion not wanting to believe the horrible reality that had just unfolded before them. Brock knelt down next to Misty and placed his fingers against her neck, feeling for some kind of pulse, anything that would indicate she was still breathing. After several seconds of silence, he looked to a hopeful Ash and shook his head solemnly.

"Pikachu pi…"

"No, this can't be happening," cried Sakura, "It wasn't supposed to end like this."

Li, at a loss for words, merely closed his eyes and sighed sadly. The prophecy, he remembered, said nothing about death or sadness. He knew, however, that it would be Misty not Ash that would save them, but he had no idea of the costs involved in being successful against Aki and Marissa.

Suddenly remembering their foes, Li quickly scanned the room, but found no sign of the duo anywhere.

'Guess the prophecy was right in some respect,' thought Li angrily.

Hikara stepped up to Ash slowly and placed a gentle hand on his trembling shoulder in an attempt to soothe him, but to no avail.

"Ash, I'm so--"

"Save it…I don't want to hear that you're sorry this happened or that it wasn't even supposed to happen to begin with. The fact of the matter is that it did happen…this time it's real and I can't do anything about it," he sobbed, hugging Misty's small lifeless frame, "I don't understand why she felt the need to do this, to sacrifice herself to defeat Aki…"

"I did it to save you…"

Ash slowly lifted his head up at the voice and hesitated for a moment before turning around. There, standing before him immersed in a heavenly glow, was Misty. She, however, was not wearing the same clothes with which her fallen body had on. Instead, she wore robes of white, was slightly transparent, and had the same glow her lifeless body emanated.

"M-Misty…why did you…"

"I did it because I love you, and I would do it all over again if I had to," she answered, taking a step closer to him, "I have no regrets about what I did, except that…except that, after this, I'll never see you again."

"No! You didn't have to do this; you didn't have to sacrifice yourself! There must have been another way," cried Ash, gripping onto Misty's lifeless body even tighter.

"Ash, I…"

"There was no other way Ash, you need to understand that. She did what she had to do," spoke Hikara who, in turn, received a menacing look from Ash.

Ash gently laid Misty's head back down onto the ground and stood to face Hikara. Tears were still streaming down his face as he looked down upon her.

"No, there was another way," he breathed, "I would have sacrificed myself, it didn't have to be her!"

"But it didn't happen that way Ash. You need to get that through your head--"

Ash, having heard enough, grabbed Hikara by her collar and shook her violently.

"Ash stop it!" yelled Brock, "That won't change a thing and you know it!"

Ignoring Brock's pleas, Ash continued to stare at Hikara feeling nothing but anger. But was that anger really directed at her or had she only provoked it? No, if he truly thought about it, the only person he was angry at was himself.

"Ash, please, don't do this," pleaded Misty who had placed a gentle hand across his chest.

He merely stared at her, gripping Hikara's collar. Then, dropping his head in defeat, he released her and turned away.

Brock nodded his head in approval knowing full well that Misty had always been able to knock the common sense back into Ash when he lost his head.

Placing a hand on Ash's shoulder, Misty spoke, "Ash, it's not her fault, and it's not yours either. I made this decision on my own, even if you had known what I was about to do, I wouldn't have let you stop me."

Turning to face her, he slowly nodded, knowing that there was no reasoning with her. Besides, he knew there was nothing he could do now. She would be gone in a few moments and he would have nothing left but his memories to soothe him.

"I just wish it didn't have to come to this," he whispered, dropping to his knees and holding his head, "I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, I was going to ask you to marry me when the time was right!"

Misty let out a small gasp and then suddenly remembered the last letter she ever received from Ash before she had thought he had died in the rockslide. She remembered reading the hints he had left her about proposing and sighed sadly. She wanted so badly to have made that a reality, but now that was impossible.

Suddenly, realizing that she would never marry Ash, nor have the chance to mother his kids, tears started to make their way down her face. Though she knew it would do no good to cry, it made her feel better about her decision. She knelt down to Ash's level and tried to caress his face, but found it useless because she knew he couldn't feel her touch.

"Ash, I'm sorry," she whispered, "But know that I love you and will always love you."

He looked up and into her tear stained face and nodded.

"I love you too, more than you'll ever know," he whispered back.

Sighing contently from the sidelines, Satoshi stood before the group.

"Ash, son, I know that I haven't been there for you much, but I need you to know that I am still your father and will always be your father," he smiled, walking up to the couple, "I am very proud of what you have become and what you've done today. I haven't given you much, so let me grant you this one present to make up for the times where I couldn't be with you."

"Satoshi, what are you talking about?" questioned Hikara.

"Hikara, this whole time I've been teaching you, training you to be strong…why did you think I did it?" he asked her knowingly.

"I-I suppose to help defeat Aki and my sister," she guessed, shrugging her shoulders.

"No, I was not training you as an apprentice, I was training you as a replacement," he answered.

"I-I don't know what you mean," she stuttered, "Where will you be?"

He put a gentle hand on Ash's shoulder and sighed, "I grow tired Hikara, all I want is to finally be at peace and rest."

"But I'm not powerful enough--"

"You are fully capable of handling the job," Satoshi interrupted.

"And your powers? What becomes of them?" she asked.

"I would think that is clear," he said, smiling in Misty's direction.

Understanding dawning on her, Hikara simply nodded.

"Ash, I needed to know for sure that you would risk anything for this girl and now I know that to be true. I know that real love exists here, so please, accept this as a gift from me as a token of my appreciation and love for you," he explained.

"But, what are you--"

Satoshi held a hand up to stop his son and said, "I love you Ash, please tell your mother that I love her too."

"I love you too dad, but--"

Again Ash was interrupted, but this time by a bright light engulfing the entire room. He soon, however, found the environment around him changing. His body seemed to be lifted up and carried to a distant location, everything spinning around him. Suddenly the sensation stopped and he landed on what felt like grass.

Lifting his head up, he scanned his surroundings and found his friends scattered around doing the same. They were back in Pallet Town in his front yard, that much was certain, but what had become of Satoshi, Hikara, and Misty?

"Ash?"

A soft voice coming from behind nearly stopped Ash's heart. He froze, afraid to turn and be faced with something that he didn't want to see. A harsh reminder of what had happened mere moments ago crowed his mind, but soon his fears were put to rest when he felt a pair of trembling arms encircle his abdomen.

"Ash, I was so scared I would never see you again," cried Misty, "I-I…"

Whipping himself around, Ash quickly engulfed her in a tight hug, afraid that someone would take her away. He had never felt so happy or relieved before in his life and, as his tears of joy started to fall, he knew that he had truly been blessed.

"Oh Misty…I-you're okay…you're alive," he sobbed, burying his head into her hair, taking in her scent and forever engraining it in his mind.

Releasing the hug, but still grasping her by the shoulders, Ash looked into her eyes and wiped the few stray tears that still remained. He smiled at her genuinely and lightly caressed her cheek.

"I would've given anything to have you back….I would have sacrificed my own life for you, you know that," he explained.

"Ash, of course I know that. That's why I couldn't let you do it…I knew you'd risk anything to keep me safe, but I just couldn't let you do it…not this time," she whispered.

He nodded his head and slowly stood up, lifting her with him.

"But, I still don't understand…how?" he asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" smiled Misty, "You're father sacrificed his powers…to save me, to make you happy."

A small gasp escaped Ash's lips as realization dawned on him. His father had given up his powers to Misty…in order to save her. Which meant he no longer existed as the master of light…but then who…

"Hello Ash," came a voice from behind.

Ash and friends turned to look and, out of thin air, Hikara materialized.

"Glad to see your alive and well Misty," Hikara smiled, "I'm happy to see all of you actually."

She looked about the group and saw nothing but confusion, however, a look of relief also adorned their faces. Relief that evil had once and for all been defeated, and that Misty's life had been spared.

"Hikara…my father?" asked Ash.

Hikara shook her head solemnly, "He loved you Ash. He would've done anything to see you happy."

Ash sighed sadly, knowing that he would never see his father again.

"Don't look so glum Ash, you're father is happy where he is. Just know that he'll always be with you, watching over you," she assured, "You're journey through life has only just begun, and he knew that. He lived a long life, but he knew that you were far too young to give up on love."

Ash smiled, looking down at Misty, gripping her hand. He knew he would spend every waking moment with Misty, and he had his father to thank for that. Although he was gone, Ash could still feel his father's presence surrounding him and it soothed him.

"I know…I owe him so much," whispered Ash gratefully.

"Ash, you owe him nothing," Hikara corrected, "You were his only son, his pride and joy, you've all defeated Aki and my sister, and peace has finally been restored. Trust me on this."

Ash nodded and looked at his friends. Though they were weary, all seemed to be in good spirits. Brock was nodding his head in approval, Pikachu on his shoulder. It was waving its' paws in the air, happy that Misty was alive and that the battling was over.

Li and Sakura, on the other hand, stood side by side smiles adorning both of their faces. Alex, who was completely confused but glad that her friend was alive, only smiled, tears in her eyes while Jason aimed to console her. Alex walked up to the couple and patted Ash on the back.

"Darren, I mean Ash, or whoever you are," she laughed, "I feel like I should reintroduce myself to you."

"I already knew who you were from the start Alex, before I even met you," answered Ash.

Alex, giving a confused look, only cocked her head to the side, "What do you mean?"

"You have a brother named Darren, don't you?" questioned Ash.

Alex nodded, leaving Ash an opening to continue, "He's a good kid."

Alex, still confused, racked her brain for an answer until something inside her clicked. The rockslide all those years ago…was it possible that her brother's savior, the one she had been searching for, was under her nose the entire time?

"The rockslide…it was you…you saved him," she breathed, tears starting to form in her eyes once more.

"What?!" gasped Misty, "Is that true Ash?"

He merely nodded, "Yeah, I remember it like it was yesterday."

Unable to control her emotions, Alex rushed up to Ash and hugged him gratefully. After all these years, she finally knew who she could thank for bringing her brother back. How could she ever repay him?

"Ash, I don't know what to say, but…thank you. Thank you for saving him, for everything," she cried.

Ash returned the hug and nodded, "Your welcome."

"Hey, what are we sitting around crying for?" announced Brock, "We should be celebrating our victory!"

"What do mean 'our'?" teased Misty.

"Haha, okay okay, your victory," he smiled, "In any case, Aki's defeated and you're alive. I say that's cause for celebration."

"You're absolutely right Brock," nodded Hikara.

"Alright, everyone inside! I'm going to make the Brock special!" he announced, bounding through the doors of the house.

Everyone cheered in unison as everyone but Ash and Misty walked into the house.

"You coming Ash?" asked Misty.

"I need to go visit someone first, you go ahead. I'll catch up," he smiled, kissing her forehead.

"And let you out of my sight? No thank you," she teased, grabbing his hand.

Smiling at her, he led her towards the back end of his house where a small secluded area amongst various trees made Misty gasp. There was a tiny pond with various types of fish swimming in it and, sitting in the middle of the area, a marble shrine glistened in the sunlight.

Ash knelt by the shrine and bowed his head, "Dad, thank you…for everything. You've given me my life back and I couldn't be happier. I love Misty so much…I-I don't know what I would have done if I lost her."

Misty knelt beside him and held his hand.

"I really don't know what to say…but I'll never forget what you did for me or Misty. I love you dad and thanks," he finished.

As the breeze blew through Ash's hair, he thought he could vaguely hear his father saying 'I love you too son' but quickly dismissed it. He stood up, feeling renewed and refreshed. He gently cupped Misty's face in his hands and prepared himself for something that he had longed for the past 7 years. Slowly, he leaned in as she did the same. All at once he closed the gap between their lips and relished in the feeling of her soft lips upon his. He savored it, never wanting the moment to end. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled away slightly and rested his forehead against hers.

"Misty…I can't stand being away from you…if I've learned anything from this ordeal, its to not let life pass you by," he whispered, "I love you so much…will you marry me?"

"Oh, Ash," whispered Misty, tears forming in the corners of her eyes, "Of course I will."

Smiling, Ash planted another kiss on Misty's tender lips, holding the kiss slightly longer this time around. It was amazing that at the beginning of all of this, they had thought that they had lost one another, only to be reunited later. Now, they would soon be married and nothing would be able to tear them apart.

Breaking the kiss, Misty gently caressed Ash's face as he melted at her touch.

"Ash, I love you."

"I know…"

With Aki and Marissa finally gone and the peace restored, Ash knew that he would finally be able to live his life. No more fighting or living in constant fear, instead, Ash and Misty's souls would become one and their destinies intertwined. For the both of them, love truly shone through darkness, and neither would ever forget how close they came to losing it.

The End…

A/N: Okay, hope you all liked it! I will be putting up an Epilogue explaining exactly how Ash escaped the rockslide. Please review and AAML for life!


	8. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon!

A/N: Okay, here's the epilogue for the story! I am actually currently debating whether or not to make yet another sequel…but that is still under heavy debate. For now, however, I think I will just focus on my other sequels. Enjoy!

Epilogue

10 years later…

"But Dad, how did you escape the rockslide?" 8-year old Andrew asked his father as he propped his elbows on the arm of the sofa.

"Yeah, Dad, I mean, you should have been done for. What happened?" added 10-year old Aly.

Ash chuckled at his two children, as they innocently awaited an answer to their questions. He could clearly remember that day as if it was yesterday and, though it brought back some painful memories, it had made him stronger and led him to the life he had now.

Now, he led his life without the fear of losing loved ones to evil, he had two wonderfully energetic children, and married the girl of his dreams and love of his life. Though he knew life wasn't always as happy as it was now, things had finally changed in his favor. Ten years ago, however, he would have thought happiness impossible.

It had been ten years to the day that Aki and Marissa had been defeated…ten years since his own father sacrificed his powers to save Misty, and ten years since the start of his new life. He still kept the sacred sword, the cloak of purity, and the uniform with which he battled Aki, as a constant reminder of how precious life was.

He smiled at his two children, his angels, and began to retell the story of his survival…

An 18-year old Ash lay unconscious as an older couple gazed down upon him, worry etched on both their faces. It had only been about an hour since he had been found and no improvement had been made on his part. The injured trainer had yet to awake, but only muttering incoherently in his unconscious state. They did, however, find out that his name was Ashton Ketchum from a silver ring recovered in his jean pocket.

"Poor thing," sighed the elderly lady, "Dear, how is his Pikachu?"

"Doing better," replied an older man, obviously the woman's husband, "I think it just needs some rest and--"

"Pika pi," squirmed Pikachu as it lay on a bed parallel to its fallen trainer. It hopped onto Ash's bed and curled up next to an unconscious Ash, "Pikachu pi."

"Maybe we should take them both to the hospital," pondered the lady.

"Rose, you know he won't make it if we try to transport him, besides, the nearest hospital and pokemon center are 50 miles away," replied the man.

"But Jonah, there must be something we can do for him," urged Rose, dabbing more alcohol on the young trainer's wounds.

Rose was a retired nurse and a very respectable one at that while her husband, Jonah, was a retired pokemon surgeon. Both had extensive knowledge in injuries in both pokemon and humans, but neither had ever encountered something like this. The trainer, extremely injured, was found near the opening to the rock tunnel that connected this valley to the next. At his side, was an injured Pikachu and, several meters away, lay the trainer's injured pokemon. A Charizard, Noctowl, Cyndaquil, Bulbasaur, and Snorlax were all sprawled out across the field seemingly in better shape than their battered trainer. Jonah, who had healed most of their wounds, returned them to their pokeballs reassuring all of them that their trainer would be okay. However, his injuries were far greater than he had originally anticipated.

What the couple had deduced was that the young trainer was traveling through the tunnel and into the next town when the rock slide hit. His pokemon must have rushed him out of the tunnel before he was killed leading them to their current state.

"I feel so helpless…" admitted Rose as she tended to the last of Ash's injuries.

"Dear, you're doing everything you can for him. There's not much more we can do at this point," Jonah pointed out, "I think he may just need rest and plenty of time to recover."

"His poor mother must be worried sick about him…this is such a shame," said Rose.

"I'm sure everything will work out…"

"What happened next Dad?" asked Andrew who was now on the edge of his seat.

Ash smiled at his son and lifted him in the air and placed him on his lap. Ash thought about how he would express what had really happened after that fateful day. He knew he would refrain from telling them that their mother had faked her own death; Misty, he knew, would kill him if he subjected them to that.

"Were you injured badly?" questioned Aly.

Ash nodded his head in response and lifted his shirt slightly to reveal a scar spanning the width of his body. Aly cringed in digust, while Andrew touched the area thinking about how amazing his Dad was to have survived something so horrid.

"Eww…Dad, that's gross," commented Aly.

"No way, that's totally cool Dad," announced Andrew still touching the area in pure amazement.

"It is not, it's gross!" Aly retorted.

"Is not! You're just a wimp Aly!" argued Andrew defiantly.

"What did you call me?!" yelled Aly, enraged at her younger brother's words, "I'll show you who's a wimp!"

"Hey, knock it off you two!"

Misty had just walked into the room, arms folded and looking very stern at her two children. Misty's glare that Ash had come to know and, at times, be afraid of made the two children shudder into silence.

"Now, what is the big deal?" asked Misty.

Both Aly and Andrew hid behind their father, knowing that he would save them from the wrath that was there mother. Ash, in turn, laughed knowing full well the fear that they were experiencing.

"Ah, it's nothing Mist. There just having a little spat; a little fighting never hurt anyone," explained Ash, who was now holding Andrew's tiny hand, "Except for when the fight is with you" he added silently to his children.

Aly and Andrew giggled as their mother raised an eye at them, "I heard that."

Ash laughed nervously, hand behind his head uncomfortably. Though his wife tended to instill fear in his children, he knew she meant well. They had two beautiful children, perhaps future pokemon masters, and Ash couldn't imagine a life without them.

"You know I love you honey," smiled Ash.

"Of course," Misty smirked playfully.

She walked up to her husband and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. Though they expressed their feelings everyday in this fashion, Ash's heart still skipped a beat whenever their lips met. Her kisses always reminded him of how he had almost lost her and the inner fight he endured to get her back.

"Do you guys need to do that in front of us?" sighed Aly, arms crossed.

"Yeah Dad, can't you finish the story instead?" begged Andrew.

"What story?" asked Misty as she sat down on the couch with the rest of her family.

"About how I courageously braved the rock tunnel and single handedly survived Ak—I mean the dangers within the tunnel," said Ash nervously.

Ash and Misty vowed to never speak of Aki and Marissa in front of their kids for fear of exposing them to what they had to go through when they were young. Ash's slip caused Misty to elbow him harshly in the arm. She shook her head as a response and awaited him to continue.

"Besides, I don't recall you single handedly doing anything," teased Misty.

"Well, maybe I had a little help--"

"Pika!"

Pikachu and Togetic had appeared from the kitchen over hearing the conversation at hand. Pikachu landed on Ash's head in response and gave him a light tap on the head as if to refresh his memory while Togetic flew to Aly and landed on her shoulder.

"From Pikachu and the others," laughed Ash as Pikachu jumped to Andrew's head in satisfaction.

"So, uh, where were we?" Ash questioned, racking his brain to before the kids' fight had ensued.

"You were unconscious in that old couple's cabin," supplied Andrew brightly petting Pikachu behind the ear.

"Yeah, and you were saying how your pokemon saved your life," added Aly, who was gently tickling Togetic.

Ash smiled at his children, knowing that someday they would be great pokemon trainers. Aly and Andrew had been exposed to pokemon at an early age and carried much of their parents' love of the creatures.

"Well, I was unconscious for about a week and…"

"Jonah! Jonah, come quick! He's waking up!" yelled Rose.

Ash, who had been unconscious for about a week and surrounded by his pokemon, started to groan groggily. His eyes slowly opened as the light from the room filtered in and he tried to get a sense of his surroundings.

"Pika pi!" squealed Pikachu, jumping into Ash's open arms.

"Pikachu," whispered Ash hoarsely.

He looked around the room and saw Noctowl, Bulbasaur, and Cyndaquil who, all at once, rushed his bed in a flurry of fur and feathers. Charizard and Snorlax popped their heads in from the open window and greeted their trainer with roars of excitement.

"All of you…you saved me life," Ash smiled, getting teary eyed, "I can never thank you enough."

"Pikachu pika pika!"

"Cyndaquil!"

"Bulba bulbasaur!"

"Seems like your pokemon don't believe you owe them anything young man," smiled Rose from the corner of the room. She had backed off a bit to the let pokemon through and be reunited with their trainer.

"W-Who are you?" asked Ash, rubbing the back of his head.

"My husband and I," she started, motioning to her husband who had just walked into the room, "found you about a week ago outside of the rock tunnel. You've been unconscious ever since."

"How are you feeling son?" asked Jonah, handing Ash a glass of water.

"A little soar, but I think I'll be okay. Thanks," smiled Ash taking the glass from him.

"My name is Jonah and this is my wife Rose," he introduced, "You're welcome to stay for as long as you like."

"Thanks. Oh, and my name's Ash," he said taking Jonah's hand and shaking it.

"It's good to meet you Ash. Our home is your home if you'd like to stay," offered Jonah.

"Thank y--"

A shooting pain swept Ash's body as he felt his strength draining from him. It was then that he had noticed the bandaged wrapped around his torso and the many scratches and bruises on his arms and legs.

"Ugh!" groaned Ash as he held his midsection.

"Pika pi!"

"I-I'm fine buddy," reassured Ash weakly.

"You're still very weak Ash," spoke Rose, "We've ordered more medicine and supplies from Cerulean City, so--"

"Cerulean City!" breathed Ash, "Pikachu, we can't stay here. We need to get to Misty!"

Pikachu looked down at the ground, afraid to look its trainer in the eyes. The rest of the pokemon did the same, knowing something Ash didn't.

"What's wrong with all of you? We need to get out of here," urged Ash, lifting the sheets from off of his bed.

"Pikachu pi…"

"Excuse me, but you wouldn't happen to mean the Misty of Cerulean City, the gym leader?" asked Jonah, a look of worry on his face.

"Um, Ash, sweetie," poked Misty, reminding her husband of their vow to exclude that part of their lives.

"Oh right…" smiled Ash nervously, but he still couldn't help thinking of the moment that changed his life forever…

"Yes, that's her. Why what's going on?" asked Ash, scared to find out the answer.

"I'm sorry son," sighed Jonah, reaching for the remote control of the television.

"W-What do you mean?" whispered Ash shakily, not liking the tension in the room.

They all knew something he didn't. Had Aki and Marissa gotten her? Was he too late?

"She's…she took her own life yesterday," answered Rose morbidly.

"N-No…" Ash's voice was caught in his throat and he felt his world stop. It couldn't be true…she wouldn't do something like this, not his Misty. He needed to see it for himself.

"W-Why?" he stuttered, tears threatening to fall.

"See for yourself," sighed Jonah as he turned the television on.

It was the news and what seemed to be a live report in front of the Cerulean gym. Ash could clearly see Daisy, Lily, Violet, and Togepi crying next to the news reporter.

"If you're just tuning in, we're live at the Ceruean City gym where, Misty, the youngest of the four Cerulean sisters, has taken her own life," the reporter paused before turning to Daisy, "I know you all must be hurting inside, how are you all coping with the loss?"

Daisy wiped the tears away before answering, "We're in a complete state of shock," she whispered, "Misty was our sister, our baby sister, and we'd do just about anything to have her back now."

"I'm so sorry for your loss girls," sighed the reporter though he didn't look sorry, "Can you tell us if your sister had a history of psychological problems?"

"Psychological problems?!" yelled Lily, "Misty had no problems! The only problem she had was giving her heart to the man of her dreams, and now he's gone too!"

The reporter was taken aback by Lily's remarks and stepped back a bit.

"Yeah, he died in the rockslide…she was never the same," said Violet timidly.

"Who died?" asked the reporter, temporarily forgetting that he was still on the air.

"Ash, the love of her life," replied Violet, "When he died, it was like a part of her died with him. She couldn't go on living…"

"Oh, I see…" remarked the reporter, feeling sorry for the girls, "Uh, we'll have more coverage in the next couple of days. Stay tuned for information regarding the funeral."

Ash simply stared at the screen blankly. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, nor did he want to believe it. Misty wouldn't do it…

"No…" cried Ash, "No! Why did you do that Mist?! I'm alive…I'm okay…"

"Pika pi…"

Ash pounded his fists into the bed sheets, angry at himself for his weakness and thinking that Aki and Marissa had won. This must have been their plan from the start; separate them, cause the rockslide, then bring down Misty. They must have known he'd be weak without her…that without her, he would not be able to fight…and they were right.

Jonah and Rose, seeing the anguish on the young trainer's face, decided it best to leave him alone with his thoughts. It was obvious this girl meant more to him than they had originally thought and, now, they believed he needed to grieve. They closed the door behind them, leaving Ash with his pokemon.

"Pikachu…she couldn't have," sobbed Ash, "She can't be…"

"Pikachu pi…"

"I need to know for sure, I need to see it with my own eyes," he stated getting out of the bed and throwing his shirt on.

Despite the pain surging through his body, Ash ignored it and called back his pokemon, leaving Pikachu confused.

"Pikachu pika?"

"We're going to Cerulean…I need answers," he simply replied.

Pikachu, jumping on its trainers shoulders, only nodded its head. Ash quickly scribbled a note of thanks for the elderly couple and left it on the night stand. Grabbing his backpack and pokeballs, he departed through the open window in search of some answers to the questions swirling about in his mind…

"Dad? Earth to Dad? Did you hear me?" asked Andrew, waving a hand in front of his father's face.

"Huh? Oh, what was that?" Ash asked, shaking himself from his memories.

"I said what happened after you realized you needed to find Mom?" inquired an eager Andrew.

"Oh, well, I traveled to Cerulean City, found her, and we lived happily ever after," smiled Ash, leaving the harsh truth from his son.

"Oh, is that it?" shrugged Andrew, "I thought it would be something cool, like you had to fight your way into the gates of Cerulean from the bad guys that had kidnapped Mom and save her."

"Well, don't you have quite the imagination," smiled Misty lifting her son onto her lap.

"Yeah, well, future pokemon masters need to have good imaginations, right Dad?" smiled Andrew.

"You bet son," laughed Ash as he ruffled his son's hair.

"Future pokemon masters also need to go to bed so they can get plenty of sleep," hinted Misty.

"Aww, can't we stay up a bit longer, please Dad?" pleaded Andrew, hands clasped together.

"It's best you listen to your mother on this one kiddo," replied Ash, "You too Aly."

Aly stretched out and let out a long yawn, realizing how tired she had been.

"Okay, Dad," she yawned, walking towards the stairs, "Night Mom."

"Goodnight," smiled Misty, her eyes following her daughter up the stairs.

"Night Dad," chirped Andrew hugging his father, "Night Mom," he added, kissing Misty on the cheek.

"Goodnight," said Ash and Misty simultaneously.

Once the doors to the kids' rooms had been slammed shut, Misty stood, stretching out a bit.

"Well, I suppose we should get to bed too," yawned Misty.

Ash stood up next to her and let out a yawn, "Yeah, I'm exhausted."

Ash grabbed Misty's hand and led her up the stairs and into their room where they prepared for bed.

"Ash?" spoke Misty who was now gently combing her hair.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever think of that day…after you woke up from the rockslide?" she asked, turning to face him.

Ash looked up at his wife, noticing the sullen look on her face.

"Of course I do…" he whispered, "It was the day I thought I had lost you."

Misty simply nodded, "It's really over, isn't it? Aki and Marissa I mean…they're really gone?"

"With ten years of silence I would think so," smiled Ash.

"But even after seven years, they still came back," she whimpered softly.

Ash stared at her questioningly. Lately, she had been acting strange, reliving the past and worrying about the evils of ten years ago. Ash walked over to Misty and gently lifted her chin up to face him.

"Misty, what's wrong?" breathed Ash.

Silent tears started to make their way down her delicate face, but she made no attempt to wipe them away. Ash, instead, embraced her in a tight hug.

"I'm just afraid that if they come back…there's much more at stake this time," she cried, looking at a photo of her, Ash, and the kids, "I don't know if I could do it again."

"Shh…it's okay Mist, it's alright to be afraid sometimes, but we can't let fear lead our lives," explained Ash, who was rubbing Misty's back comfortingly, "Together, we're strong. We'll be okay, I promise."

Misty simply nodded her head and buried her face into Ash's chest, "You're fearless aren't you?"

"No, I'm not," he sighed, "My memories scare me, but I snap out of it and realize what I have in front of me and everything seems better. Besides, I can't show fear in front of the kids. As their parents, we need to be strong for them."

Misty nodded in understanding, knowing what Ash was referring to.

"I always remember the time I traveled to Cerulean after I had heard about y-you're death," he paused before continuing, "I remember needing to be at that funeral, if only to prove to myself that you were really gone. I disguised myself so my presence wouldn't cause a disturbance. I remember seeing Brock and your sisters heartbroken, that's when I knew it must have been true."

"I'm glad it wasn't" smiled Misty.

"Me too," added Ash.

Ash lifted a surprised Misty into his arms and plopped her down on their bed gently. After crawling in next to her, he propped his elbow on his pillow and stared into her eyes.

"What is it?" she smiled.

He shook his head in response and sat up, taking her hands in his.

"Misty, I'm going to make you a promise, right here right now," he whispered.

Misty had never seen Ash look at her the way he was staring at her now. His gaze never wavered as he attempted to show her how much he loved her through his stare alone. He wanted to let her know that everything would be okay, that he would protect them at all costs, and that his family was the most important thing in his life.

"What is it?"

"Misty, you know I love you more than anything in the world and nothing will ever change my love for you," he paused and held her face gently in his hands, "God help me I will do whatever I can to protect you and those kids from harm, but you need to trust me."

"God Ash, you know I trust you more than anyone," she whispered back, trying desperately to hold back her tears, "I just-I'm just so scared. I don't want to lose this…everything we've worked so hard for, everything we've based our love around is right here."

Ash nodded knowing that she was right. They had worked so hard to recover from Aki's wrath and, Ash knew, their recovery was only possible because of their endless love for each other. He too was still apprehensive about Aki, but would never let Misty on to his worries. It would only worry her further and that was the last thing they needed. They had a family now that needed their full attention and nothing would ever allow him to turn his back on them.

"Mist, I am here for you. I'm your shoulder to cry on, your other half," he breathed, as he kissed her neck passionately in an attempt to make her forget her worries, "I'm yours forever…"

"Ash…" she lightly moaned, loving the feel of his lips on her exposed skin. She had begun to run her fingers through his hair and gently whispered in his ear, "I love you."

Breathing slightly harder than he had before, Ash nodded in response drinking in Misty's very being. She was the most beautiful girl in the world and nothing was going to stop him from protecting her and their children.

"I love you too…more than anything in the world," he whispered, pulling the covers over the two of them and beginning their nightly ritual.

As Ash and Misty began their night of passion, they both knew in their hearts the love they held for one another. It was this love and passion that would allow them to move on, to believe that a life existed beyond Aki, beyond his evil. With their children's lives to consider, they both knew that love would keep them safe and help them find a way to make everything alright.

The End…(or is it?)…

A/N: Muwahaha! Lol! So there you have it, I'm finally done after many long months of writers block and the like lol! I hope you guys liked it and look out for my sequel to Dangerous Love. AAML for life!


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